Shows
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiThe Next Civil War, Mark Carney's Davos Speech, & Canada's View of the US - Stephen Marche | RR #21My guest this week is Stephen Marche. Stephen is the author of The Next Civil War and On Writing and Failure. He frequently experiments with literary AI.Support the show by checking out: ProtonVPN (gold-standard VPN—fast and safe. Click the link to get 55% off VPN Plus: $4.49/mo). ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital safety), Mission Farms CBD (healthy, effective CBD for relief, sleep, and wellbeing—25% off with email).That modest bio doesn’t do justice to Stephen’s extensive writing...
2026-02-191h 30
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiBiodiversity on the Brink: Ecological Rhythms & Human Urgency - Jonathan Tonkin | Rapid Response #20For as much as I bemoan the attention fracture that occurs on social media, there are times I’m so grateful for it; I discovered the work of Jonathan Tonkin through a Substack Note about ecosystem services—the financial value that the natural world provides, which is vast and yet is barely ever accounted for under capitalist economics (on that note: please be sure to bookmark my conversation with Alyssa Battistoni on the ‘free gifts’ of nature).While we’re at it, please subscribe to his incredible newsletter, Predirections, right now: https://predirections.substack.com/Fast forwa...
2026-02-161h 00
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiWhen, How, & Why Complex Societies Collapse - Joseph Tainter | #64Having researched the topic of collapse for more than half a decade, I can say with some confidence that interest in it has increased over the past few years. And it makes sense—wherever you look, be it politics, climate change, the economy, tech accelerationism, or otherwise, we’re getting a lot of scary signals. But collapse is a slippery word—what exactly does it mean? And what exactly qualifies a particular breakdown as collapse?Support the show by checking out: ProtonVPN (gold-standard VPN—fast and safe. Click the link to get 55% off VPN Plus: $4.49/mo). ZBiotics (Decrease...
2026-02-121h 01
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiCriticizing the Democratic Party, Resisting ICE & Fascism, Lessons from Minneapolis, the 'Wrong Kind of Muslim' & More - Qasim Rashid | Rapid Response #19Is it okay for folks on the left to criticize the Democratic Party? Qasim Rashid lost thousands of followers because he did. What are our responsibilities as Americans who believe in democracy and resisting fascism? What strategies can we use? Support the show by checking out: ProtonVPN (gold-standard VPN—fast and safe. Click the link to get 55% off VPN Plus: $4.49/mo). ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital safety), Mission Farms CBD (healthy, effective CBD for relief, sleep, and wellbeing—25% off with email).
2026-02-0955 min
Urgent Futures with Jesse Damiani"We All Know What We're Fighting Against, but There's a Deafening Silence Every Time we Ask What We're Fighting for"—On Hannah Arendt & Loving the World in Dark Times - Roger Berkowitz | #63If you’re looking for historical thinkers who can help you navigate authoritarianism, fascism, totalitarianism, and questions of human rights, you’d do worse than to start with Hannah Arendt, one of the most influential political theorists of the 20th century. I’ve found myself returning to her words repeatedly over the past few years for exactly this reason. You’re perhaps already familiar with the phrase “the banality of evil.” This is one of her most famous contributions to thought, and emerged from her analysis of the trial of Adolf Eichmann, one of the key Nazi figures in organizing t...
2026-02-031h 52
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiFrom 'Prepper' to 'Resilient Citizen' - Chris Ellis | #62Folks who have followed the channel will know that the subject of preparedness—what you colloquially hear referred to as “prepping”—is a subject of great importance to me. For a while now, I’ve felt like it was necessary for us to reclaim, normalize, and broaden the notion of prepping away from the stranglehold that the lone survivalist has on the prepper stereotype.The world that is fast emerging is what US military experts have referred to as VUCA—volatile, uncertain, chaotic, and ambiguous. As we learned during the Covid-19 pandemic, there are some disasters that the governme...
2026-01-281h 59
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiWe Must Decarbonize...but How? On Methods, Challenges, & the 'Physics of Capitalism' - Erald Kolasi | Rapid Response #18We all know that we have to end our addiction to fossil fuels, but how do we actually do that in practice?Today's guest, Erald Kolasi, breaks it down.Support the show by checking out: ProtonVPN (gold-standard VPN—fast and safe. Click the link to get 55% off VPN Plus: $4.49/mo). ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital safety), Mission Farms CBD (healthy, effective CBD for relief, sleep, and wellbeing—25% off with email).BIO: Erald Kolasi is a writer and inde...
2026-01-261h 14
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiHow Does AI Actually Work, & How is it Changing Our World? On 'Understanding AI' - Timothy B. Lee | #61If there are two letters in the English language you’ve been unable to escape over the past four years, it’s A and I.Artificial intelligence has emerged as the buzziest tech category since the metaverse and NFTs, but unlike those, AI has managed to reach a level of market dominance that almost defies imagination—so whether you like it or not, it's in your best interest to understand how it actually works. Today's guest, Timothy B. Lee, helps you do just that.Support the show by checking out: ProtonVPN (gold-standard VPN—fast and safe. Cl...
2026-01-221h 24
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiCapitalism Doesn't Value Nature Because It Can't—Understanding 'Free Gifts' - Alyssa Battistoni | #61Why is capitalism incapable of valuing the more-than-human world?This question might sound obvious, but it's at the heart of the polycrisis. If our dominant economic system literally cannot place value on nature, we're destined to live out of alignment with it.This is the subject of Alyssa Battistoni's superb new book, Free Gifts: Capitalism and the Politics of Nature. We dive into it in today's conversation! In the meantime, grab your copy of Free Gifts here!Support the show by checking out: ProtonVPN (gold-standard VPN—fast and safe. Click the link to ge...
2026-01-141h 17
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiRewiring the Global Economy, AI, the Cringiness of Big Tech Oligarchs, MMT, Stablecoins, & 'Releisure' - Brett Scott | Rapid Response #17Capitalism is a problem. How exactly do we address it? First we have to cut through the noise.Today's guest, Brett Scott, is one of those special transdisciplinary thinkers—rooted in deep understandings of economics and finance—that I absolutely love to host conversations with. In this case, it was prompted by a shared frustration with how transhumanists believe about life-extension and immortality (typified by the actions of Bryan Johnson, of “Don’t Die” fame).Support the show by checking out: ProtonVPN (gold-standard VPN—fast and safe. Click the link to get 55% off VPN Plus: $4.49/mo). ZBiotic...
2026-01-121h 33
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiEmpathy is Hard Work—But It Can Save Us - Katie Bogen & Hani Chaabo (Super Humanizer) | #60How do we bridge divides that seem impossible? It sounds so simple, but the basic answer is empathy. Of course, genuine empathy is no small feat. On the Super Humanizer podcast, today's guests hosts conversations about some of the thorniest topics related to Gaza and Zionism, so I brought them onto Urgent Futures to explain their perspectives and what they've learned through their work on the show. What results is (unsurprisingly!) a powerful, evocative conversation—I can't wait for you to hear from them.Support the show by checking out: ProtonVPN (gold-standard VPN—fast and safe. Click the...
2025-12-171h 44
Urgent Futures with Jesse Damiani"Democracy is No Longer Expanding Agency"—Reimagining Governance, the Human, & Intelligence in the Machine Age - Indy Johar | #59I talk a lot about transdisciplinarity on this channel because I think it’s one of the most vital approaches to perceiving, asking, and knowing. It’s something that I believe is not only important but necessary for making our way through these—ahem—urgent futures.As you’ll instantly find here, today's guest, Indy Johar, is a truly transdisciplinary mind. It makes sense to me that he’s trained as an architect, itself a collision of multiple different fields. But as a public intellectual today, it’s much more likely you’ll know Indy from his truly vast and e...
2025-12-1058 min
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiRewilding Reality in the Age of Deepfakes, AI, & Epistemic Collapse - Michael Garfield | Rapid Response #16How can we think differently about what AI means?Today's guest, Michael Garfield, is somebody I’ve learned a lot from over the years—primarily through his tireless work with the podcast formerly known as Future Fossils—now Humans On The Loop—but also through his own writings on life, the universe, and everything. One thing we bonded over early on was media ecology, specifically how reality was being shaped by fast-evolving digital tools like AI and XR. He identified key zones of concern, and mapped possible responses, for example, to the ongoing development of deepfakes and other sy...
2025-12-081h 45
Urgent Futures with Jesse Damiani"Almost Everybody's Incompetent"—Why Fossil Fuels & Fascism Dominate - David Roberts | #58I thought this was going to be a conversation about solar energy, decarbonization, ClimateTech, grid infrastructure—I wasn't quite prepared for an in-depth analysis of Pete Hegseth's psychology. Hopefully that gives you a quick sense of what you're in for in this episode!Support the show by checking out: ProtonVPN (gold-standard VPN—fast and safe. Click the link to get 55% off VPN Plus: $4.49/mo). ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital safety), Mission Farms CBD (healthy, effective CBD for relief, sleep, and wellbeing—25% off wi...
2025-12-032h 00
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiUnpacking ‘Fascist Fitness’ & Reclaiming Gym Culture from the Far Right - Colin Davis | Rapid Response #15In many ways, the big story in the aftermath of the 2024 election in the U.S. was: young men. Mainstream media was aflurry in conversations about how the Dems lost boys, how the manosphere and male-centric podcasters swung the election in favor of Donald Trump. Correlated to this phenomenon was the fact that gym culture, weightlifting in particular, because an online vector through which young men developed communities within the right-wing ecosystem. Ideas about power and “being a man” became key talking points in these groups.Support the show by checking out: ProtonVPN (gold-standard VPN—fast and safe...
2025-11-191h 02
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiCan Media Depict Reality in the Age of AI? Did It Ever, Really? Discussing the Interplay of Fact & Fiction in ‘Reality Frictions’ - Steve Anderson | #57A couple plot twists to note with this episode!First: instead of my usual intro, you’ll notice we’re showing a clip from Steve’s new feature-length video essay/doc Reality Frictions. So I’d strongly recommend that you watch at least the first few minutes on Substack or YouTube. My hope is that doing it this way gives you the best context for what he and I dive into in our conversation. Moreover, I hope it whets your appetite to go see the film—it’s a nourishing and thought-provoking journey (the combination of Steve’s voice, caden...
2025-11-111h 59
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiUnderstanding Wet-Bulb Temperature, Climate Extremes, & Systemic Risk—& How We Build Resilience - Colin Raymond | #56The unfortunate reality is that, in a warming world, we're going to be learning about 'wet-bulb temperature' (WBT) the hard way more and more. These are temperatures at which it is hot enough to cause the human body heat stress and humid enough to prevent it from cooling off through sweat. So today's guest, Colin Raymond, joins me to dig into what they are & what we can do to stay safe & build resilience.As many of you know by now, I’m currently working on a book manuscript called How to Survive the 21st Century. Modest, I kn...
2025-11-061h 10
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiHow AI Futures, Authoritarianism, & Behavioral Science Fit Together - Jacob Ward | #55Where to begin with this conversation? First I’ll say, it’s an absolute pleasure to speak with polymaths. I try to do it as much as I can on the show, and Jake is an exemplar, able to dance across topics with depth and nuance. As such, you’ll notice that we move from questions about the futures of AI in society to contemporary politics to that conversation between Ezra Klein and Ta-Nehisi Coates.What I especially love is how his ongoing research into behavioral and cognitive science has informed his approach to AI, a topic that h...
2025-10-291h 26
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiProtecting Your Mental Health & Emotional Wellbeing Amid Polycrisis, Responding to ICE, 'Bullying Bari Weiss,' & The Futures of Journalism - Anya Kamenetz | Rapid Response #14If you’re paying attention at all, everything feels topsy-turvy at best, more likely outright depressing. Unidentified masked ICE agents are still brutalizing and snatching people off the street, free speech protections are being violated with abandon, the government shutdown continues to wreak havoc, most visible with recent news that SNAP benefits, relied on by 40 million Americans, are set to expire on Nov. 1. Then there’s the $300 million ballroom being built in the site formerly known as the East Wing of the White House, the fact that Donald Trump is suing his own Justice Department to the tune of $230 mill...
2025-10-2758 min
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiU.S. Information Warfare, AI, Censorship, & Why Disinformation is Still—Still!—A Major Issue - Nina Jankowicz | Rapid Response #13You may have noticed that the quality of your digital life has been on the decline—in tandem with the ongoing attacks on (whatever’s left of) democratic function in the United States. It’s important to remember that this is not something that has simply happened, like the weather. These are systems that have been designed, albeit by many different people across many different industries (and with varying degrees of awareness). Key to all of it is the unholy marriage between algorithmic social media and those who exploit its features to foster division and consensus breakdown.This i...
2025-10-221h 00
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiGrace Byron: 'Herculine,' Haunting, & Being Trans in America | Riffs & Speculations #2Imagine this: an all-trans girl commune in the middle of the woods in the midwest. Also imagine that people can be literally haunted by demons, who prey on trauma. Imagine that those two ideas live in the same world, and are woven into a broader story that also manages to hold within it star-crossed romance; biting analysis of the contemporary creative scene in New York City; revealing moments of friendship, community, sex; and ultimately a portrait of what it means to be a trans woman in present-day America—all in about 250 pages.Hopefully your mind is already sp...
2025-10-151h 16
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiHow to Tell Strategic Stories that Clarify Climate Crisis - Megan Mayhew-Bergman | Rapid Response #12Climate change is an issue that already impacts everyone, and is poised to disrupt everything about life as we understand it. And yet it still so often manages to be presented as a niche issue. What gives? Why can’t we get it together?Support the show by checking out: ProtonVPN (gold-standard VPN—fast and safe. Click the link to get 55% off VPN Plus: $4.49/mo). ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital safety), Mission Farms CBD (healthy, effective CBD for relief, sleep, and well...
2025-10-131h 03
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiGoliath's Curse: How & Why Societies Collapse, & What We Can Do About It - Luke Kemp | #54“Collapse” is one of those words that’s bandied about a lot—especially with conversations about the future of the United States and U.S. hegemony—and is therefore prone to debate, misconceptions, and a variety of uses. Today's guest, Luke Kemp is the author of the spectacular and necessary new book, Goliath's Curse. In it, he cuts through the noise to make the case that collapse isn’t just a sensationalist concept or a fringe worry—it’s a recurring feature of history in human societies, a cocktail of human evolutionary psychology and the power of symbolic communication, which allows us...
2025-10-081h 35
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiAndy Hines: How to Imagine 'After Capitalism'—and Why We Must | #53The subjects of degrowth and post-growth are near-and-dear to my heart. I view these overlapping topics as absolutely critical for our continued survival on this planet; it is imperative that we humans bring our species back into alignment with the planet. No doubt that this is going to be difficult and costly, but far less so than continuing on as usual, which will entail ever more extreme measures the longer we put it off—both in terms of paying for disaster responses and implementing mitigation and adaptation measures as the biosphere deteriorates.Which is why I was de...
2025-10-011h 10
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiDanny Snelson: The Little Database vs. Large AI Models | #52I’ve talked about AI a good deal in past episodes—and I continue to believe it’s a subject of critical discourse, even (and perhaps especially) as it’s ever more riddled with outstated hype. That’s why you’ll notice I’ve framed today’s conversation in the title as a contrast between large AI models and the little database, a term coined by today’s guest, Danny Snelson—but this conversation is so much more than that. In fact, he wrote a whole book about the subject—and it’s superb.This notion of the little database draw...
2025-09-242h 04
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiCDC Chaos & Covid-19 Vaccines with Dr. Lucy McBride | Rapid Response #11Welcome to the Urgent Futures podcast, the show that finds {signals} in the noise. Each week, I sit down with leading thinkers whose research, concepts, and questions clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos.Amid CDC upheaval under Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., there's a lot of medical mis- and disinformation flying around—especially about the Covid-19 vaccines. It felt critical to have a conversation with an actual subject matter expert to get to the bottom of it, and Dr. Lucy McBride graciously agreed to join me for this Rapid Response episode on Substack Live.If...
2025-09-1554 min
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiMorgan Phillips & Manda Scott: How We Make it 'Thru'—Transformative Adaptation & Thrutopian Flourishing | #51It is well-documented that the polycrisis is intensifying across scales. It’s also well-documented that humanity is not doing nearly enough to preserve the habitability of our planet. It will be demanded of us to engage in extensive mitigation in order to rise to the stakes of this crisis, but mitigation alone isn’t enough. We also have to adapt—in ways across the scales of micro to macro, from a renewed meaning of what we mean when we talk about “the good life” for ourselves, to an overhaul in our collective practices and policies.Earlier this year, toda...
2025-09-101h 28
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiThe (Department of) War on American Cities, Ukraine, Gaza, and the Imperial Boomerang | Rapid Response #10Over the weekend, I published a post outlining how Trump’s rebranding of the Department of Defense to the Department of War ties in with a phenomenon known as the "Imperial Boomerang." This is the podcast episode version. If you’d prefer to read the piece, find that here. If you'd prefer to watch, check out the video on YouTube (and subscribe while you're at it! Your support is vital in helping this channel grow).Support the show by checking out: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your...
2025-09-0817 min
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiLiam Young: A Texas-Sized City for 10 Billion People? Rewilding the Globe with 'Planet City' | #50Today’s guest has ideas that are going to be a jolt for many of you. An easy example? His ongoing worldbuilding project, Planet City, which proposes that one response to climate change and biodiversity loss would be to compress the entire future global population of 10 billion people into a contiguous “planet city” roughly the size of the state of Texas—thereby letting the rest of the world rewild. Another? The idea that controversial and likely problematic geoengineering and carbon capture technologies are going to be vital in preserving habitability of life on Earth—at least the life that exists tod...
2025-09-032h 12
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiAge Verification Laws: Surveillance in Disguise? - Noelle Perdue | Rapid Response #9Welcome to the Urgent Futures podcast, the show that finds {signals} in the noise. Each week, I sit down with leading thinkers whose research, concepts, and questions clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos.Thank you to everyone who tuned into my live video! I’m happy to share the video here, as it continues to (unfortunately!) be a subject of critical importance for Internet freedoms. But if you want to participate in the Lives, ask questions of the guests I bring on, etc., do us both a favor and subscribe now and make sure Reality St...
2025-08-3153 min
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiNora N. Khan: Language for Technology | #49What language should we use for our experience of the technological? There’s so much chatter about AI, and yet so often it’s framed by a language inherited from science and technology. Given technology’s cultural and societal implications, we need thoughtful folks in the arts and humanities creating linguistic interventions and modes of understandingWhich is why I was so delighted to host Nora—a writer, critic, curator, and educator whose work moves fluidly across fields to make sense of how technology reshapes culture, thought, and possibility. She’s one of the sharpest interpreters of algorithmi...
2025-08-262h 01
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiWhy I'm Reclaiming Prepping & You Should Too | Rapid Response #8I’ve been called a prepper more times over the past few weeks than I have in my entire life. In this Rapid Response episode, I want to explain why. And moreover, I want to explain why I believe we should appropriate, normalize, and broaden the notion of prepping.Support the show by checking out: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital safety), Mission Farms CBD (healthy, effective CBD for relief, sleep, and wellbeing—25% off with email), NordVPN (the simplest way to p...
2025-05-2010 min
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiMike Pepi: Are Platforms Ruining the Internet? | #48Once upon a time, the Internet was heralded as a great open space, the utopian dream of free information flow. Obviously those ideas were misguided (at best); the Internet we experience today is a far cry from what Silicon Valley promised us. What went wrong?Today’s guest argues that it's because we’ve boxed ourselves—or maybe more accurately, been boxed into—platforms.The Internet as we understand it is dominated by platforms; in large part they define the logic of digital life. So what can we do about it? Listen on...Get your...
2025-05-071h 39
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiBrett Christophers: The Real Reason Renewables Aren't Replacing Fossil Fuels at Scale | #47As soon as the cost of renewable energy drops to or below fossil fuel levels, we'll easily make the transition away from fossil fuels, right?...Unfortunately, that's just not how things are playing out in practice. Even though wind and solar energy have seen remarkable innovation and rollouts around the world, fossil fuels remain dominant. What gives?Today's guest, Brett Christophers, believes it's because we've gotten it twisted: under the complex, capitalistic infrastructures that define the energy economy, it's not cost that matters—it's price. In fact, he wrote a whole book about it: The Pr...
2025-04-231h 43
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiExplaining Trump Tariffs, Insider Trading, & Crypto Scams—Emerging Economic Realities with Michael Mezzatesta | Rapid Response #7Bit of a different episode this week! It’s a recording of my Substack Live with Better Future w/ Michael Mezz, where we dive into all the topics listed in the title, plus a few surprises.It was a fun little experiment that ends up packing a punch—all thanks to Michael’s ability to sensemake such volatile, complex topics. He’s also a past guest of the show, and our conversation is a fantastic introduction to degrowth and post-growth economics (which we need to be considering now more than ever).Support the show by checking...
2025-04-1641 min
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiN. Katherine Hayles: A New Theory of Mind, from 'Bacteria to AI' | #46What if the ongoing devastation of the biosphere and the ascendancy of complex AI are rooted in the same anthropocentrism? What if there were a new theory of mind that incorporated our biological kin and AI? What if such a theory foregrounded ecological relationality and a broadening of our idea of what cognition is—and what can be a cognizer?Today's guest, N. Katherine Hayles, proposes such a theory—the integrated cognitive framework (ICF)—in her new book, Bacteria to AI. It's a wild mutant of a read, drawing ideas from evolutionary biology, feminist theory, speculative fiction, and mo...
2025-04-021h 54
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiMinna Salami: Can Feminism Be African? | #45Can feminism be African? The more you sit with this question, the more its complexities reveal themselves; as you emphasize different aspects of the question, new subtexts and assumptions come into view.This question is also the title of a new book by Minna Salami, today's guest. It's a remarkable read—I encourage you to pick up your copy now!Support the show by checking out: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital safety), Mission Farms CBD (healthy, effective CBD for re...
2025-03-261h 16
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiNoelle Perdue: The Three Types of Eroticism, The Trevails of a Foot-Fetish Fetishist, Homoflexibility, Looners, Self-Labeling, & More | Riffs & Speculations #1What are the three types of eroticism? What is it like being someone who fetishizes foot fetishists? What is it like writing the script for an adult video in this genre? Speaking of fetishes, were you aware of the balloon ("looner") fetish?All that and more in this freewheeling conversation with today's guest, Noelle Perdue. A doubly fun episode because it marks the official launch of my "Riffs & Speculations" series on Urgent Futures.Support the show by checking out: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify...
2025-03-131h 29
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiCarl Safina: How Plato Created Hell | #44Plato is among the most famous thinkers in all of Western philosophy. What if his notion of transcendence—of there being a reality "out there" that's "higher" than our earthly plane—underlies everything that's broken about modernity.If you can believe it, that's a core argument of an otherwise touching book about one ecologist's experience raising and ultimately freeing an orphaned screen owl. That book, Alfie & Me, was written by today's guest: legendary ecologist Carl Safina.Support the show by checking out: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits...
2025-03-061h 08
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiDavid Guignion: The History of Conspiracy Theories, Making Philosophy Accessible to the Public, Activism, & More | #43Conspiracy theories are all over the place, but...what are they, exactly? How do they work and what's their history? Who is susceptible to them? What do they tell us about the human condition?These are just a few of the questions that today's guest, David Guignion, examines in his research. He's also the founder of the popular Theory & Philosophy channel and podcast, so he knows a thing or two about making complex ideas accessible to the public.Support the show by checking out: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43...
2025-02-262h 24
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiEverything Has Changed & You're Not Thinking Big Enough | Rapid Response #6The Dark Gothic MAGA oligarchs are going for everything at breakneck speed. We are playing defense and cleanup—and badly. It's time for a switch-up.Let's talk about Canada—and the prospect of Blue States joining it.Support the show by checking out: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital safety), Mission Farms CBD (healthy, effective CBD for relief, sleep, and wellbeing—25% off with email), NordVPN (the simplest way to protect yourself online, 74% off 2-year plans).What if we used t...
2025-02-2405 min
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiAvriel Epps: AI, Transformative Justice, & How to Teach Kids About Algorithmic Bias | #42AI continues to be a major subject of debate—and for good reason. It’s a technology that holds incredible potential to shape and reshape power. This is why we have to remain more vigilant than ever to how AI models are built, who builds them, what their motivations and value systems are, and what we collectively demand from builders—and how we regulate them as a society. As with any emerging technology, what we’re talking about is not just technology—we’re talking about how that technology is interwoven into society. My guest this week, Avriel Epps...
2025-02-122h 14
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiRupert Read: How Bad Will it Get? On Thrutopias, Transformative Adaptation, & the Other World(s) Still Just Possible | Urgent Futures #41How bad is it going to get?This is the provocation today's guest Rupert Read makes in a recent keynote—and one that I found to be an excellent way to jump into our conversation—though it’s a bit of a decoy. It gives way to a deeper, more nuanced conversation about how we ultimately survive and even thrive in complex emerging realities. Support the show by checking out: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital safety), Mission Farms CBD (health...
2025-02-051h 20
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiLA Wildfire Recovery: Ecological Remediation to Heal Contaminated Sites - Danielle Stevenson | Rapid Response #5Decontaminating the air, soil, and water in Los Angeles in the wake of the wildfires is going to be a long road. But Centre for Applied Ecological Remediation Founder and President Danielle Stevenson has spent more than a decade refining her research in "ecological remediation"—integrated social and environmental practices that could be crucial in not only healing LA, but better aligning it with the the realities of the place, making it more climate resilient.The past few Rapid Response episodes have been quite upsetting. While this Rapid Response also includes some upsetting analysis from Danielle about ho...
2025-02-0348 min
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiRachel Donald: Why is the World in Crisis—& What Can We Do About It? | Urgent Futures #40Why is the world in crisis? How can we get a view of the bigger picture?My guest this week is Rachel Donald—and she's something of an expert in these questions.Support the show by checking out: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital safety), Mission Farms CBD (healthy, effective CBD for relief, sleep, and wellbeing—25% off with email), NordVPN (the simplest way to protect yourself online, 74% off 2-year plans).Rachel Donald investigates why the world is in cris...
2025-01-301h 33
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiClimate Trauma & Fire Brain: Understanding the Mental Health Impacts of the LA Wildfires & Developing Resilience - Jyoti Mishra | Rapid Response #4Los Angeles: have you been doomscrolling and unable to concentrate? There's a reason, & it has to do with how our brains respond to trauma. I spoke with Dr. Jyoti Mishra, a leading neuroscientist to make sense of it.If you appreciate the work I'm doing, make sure to subscribe here so you never miss an episode! Urgent Futures is also a video podcast, available on YouTube.Support the show by checking out: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital safety), Mission...
2025-01-2745 min
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiWim Carton & Andreas Malm: Overshoot & Climate Breakdown | Urgent Futures #39Wim Carton and Andreas Malm are the co-authors of the superb, devastating new book Overshoot: How the World Surrendered to Climate Breakdown. Here’s a quote to give you a sense of its argument:"And when the third decade of the millennium dawned, the relationship remained firmly in place: the warmer the globe became, the more fossil fuels were poured on the fire. The higher the temperatures, the larger the emissions. The closer the Earth came to being engulfed in flames — literally and figuratively — the harder companies worked to get oil and gas and coal out of the gr...
2025-01-221h 32
Urgent Futures with Jesse Damiani"The Disaster After the Disaster": LA Air Quality & Public Health - Jane Williams | Urgent Futures Rapid Response #3If you live in Los Angeles, I urge you to listen to this and share it with everyone you care about right now—especially if you/they live in or near ash zones. Even though the AQI is low again, the impacts of wildfire smoke are still here. Loads of nasty pollutants like asbestos, formaldehyde, lead, and other heavy metals, plastics, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are still in the air and ash—and can travel for hundreds of miles.My guest on this week’s Rapid Response, Executive Director of California Communities Against Toxics (CCAT) Jane Willia...
2025-01-1955 min
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiThe Meaning Crisis: Wisdom, Purpose, and AI in 2025 and Beyond - John Vervaeke | #38Is the Western world in the midst of a crisis of meaning? If so, how did we get here, and what can we do about it? What should we be thinking about as we develop artificial intelligence? These are just a few of the many questions I dive into with my guest this week, John Vervaeke.Support the show by checking out: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital safety), Mission Farms CBD (healthy, effective CBD for relief, sleep, and wellbeing—25% off with em...
2025-01-143h 28
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiThe Los Angeles Fires, Polycrisis, & How to Live in Collapse | Urgent Futures Rapid Response #2The Los Angeles Fires—most notably the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire—are the most destructive in California history. They are horrific, and they are teaching us hard lessons.Support the show by checking out: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital safety), Mission Farms CBD (healthy, effective CBD for relief, sleep, and wellbeing—25% off with email), NordVPN (the simplest way to protect yourself online, 74% off 2-year plans).If you’re paying attention, you recognize that all of this—the unprecedented “hurricanes”...
2025-01-1327 min
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiArt Berman: Oil, How the Economics of Energy Impacts Global Populism, & the Huge Problem We Must Address | #37Oil defines our lives, but we actually understand so little about it—and moreover, so little about its role in driving what we call “progress.” The flip side of that, of course, is that we don’t grasp how utterly dependent modern civilization is on oil. Without it, everything we take for granted about energy, the economy, technology, agriculture, and medicine would change. We are, as this week's guest would say (along with his colleague Nate Hagens of The Great Simplification), “energy blind.”And that's a big, big problem for understanding coming realities, and figuring out what to do.
2024-12-192h 05
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiPeter Brannen: What You Need to Know About the Five Mass Extinctions (to Understand the Sixth Extinction) | #36What are the most extreme extinction events in Earth's history? And what should we learn from them to avoid a similar fate? Today's guest, Peter Brannen, is an expert in these extinctions, having written one of the key books on the topic, The Ends of the World.It’s an invigorating read, in part because you really confront the raw power and volatility of this planet—and because you can then more thoroughly appreciate the blissful window of relative stability that humanity has evolved within. You then must confront the fact that techno-industrial civilization is undertaking many of t...
2024-12-111h 52
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiPhoebe Barnard: The Human Behavioral Crisis is the Coordination Problem Underlying Overshoot and Climate Crisis | #35Humanity is in a state of ecological overshoot—put simply: we use more than the Earth can support. In many ways, this is the primary problem of modern human civilization. But driving this problem is a fundamental 'human behavioral crisis.' Understanding this is critical—and Phoebe Barnard, today's guest, can explain why.Support the show by checking out these Black Friday Deals: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (50% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital safety), Mission Farms CBD (healthy, effective CBD for relief, sleep, and wellbeing—40% by using...
2024-12-041h 16
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiRodolfo Dirzo: Understanding Mass Extinctions, The Gift of Biodiversity, Plant-Animal Relationships, and 'Defaunation' | #34We all know extinctions are bad—but extinctions aren't a yes or no question, they're a spectrum. That's why we need to understand the idea of 'defaunation,' a term coined by today's guest, legendary conservation scientist Rodolfo Dirzo.Support the show by checking out these Black Friday Deals: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (50% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital safety), Mission Farms CBD (healthy, effective CBD for relief, sleep, and wellbeing—40% by using the code found at that link), NordVPN (the simplest way to protect yourself onli...
2024-11-271h 39
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiHarry Yeff (Reeps100): The Future of the Voice—Human, Machine, & Otherwise | #33What is the future of voice? Where does AI fit in? Listen on!Support the show by checking out: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital safety), Mission Farms CBD (healthy, effective CBD for relief, sleep, and wellbeing—25% off with email), NordVPN (the simplest way to protect yourself online, 72% off 2-year plans).My guest this week is Harry Yeff, aka Reeps100.Harry Yeff, aka Reeps100, is a London-born neurodivergent artist and technologist specializing in voice, AI, and tech-based performance ar...
2024-11-202h 03
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiSimon Michaux: Is the Green Transition Doomed? Why We Need the 'Purple Transition' Instead | #32Transitioning off of fossil fuels is critical for our survival, but what if the solutions we're racing to develop (solar, wind, etc.) aren't actually sustainable? What happens if we don't have enough minerals to service the energy demand our current projections say we'll need to?My guest today is Simon Michaux, and his proposal is that we ditch the 'Green Transition' in favor of the 'Purple Transition.'Support the show by checking out: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital...
2024-11-142h 24
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiTrump's Election, the End of the World Order as We Know It, & Where We Go From Here | Urgent Futures Rapid Response #1What does the election of Donald Trump mean for America and the world? And what can we do about it?This is not the post-election episode I’d hoped to do. I imagined I’d be doing an episode where I talked through the progressive ideals that didn’t make their way into the Harris campaign, and strategies + tactics we could use to hold the Harris administration accountable to them. Alas.There are so many takes and so much finger-pointing; I’m not here to add to any of that. I’m here to reflect on what th...
2024-11-1215 min
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiBradley Rydholm: Why Nature is Metal—and Why it's Not | #31How can humans deepen our relationship(s) with nature without anthropomorphizing or flattening it? Seeing the natural world in all its messiness, contradictions, & wonder.Welcome to the Urgent Futures podcast, the show that finds {signals} in the noise. Each week, I sit down with leading thinkers whose research, concepts, and questions clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos.My guest this week is Bradley Rydholm.Support the show by checking out: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital...
2024-10-312h 12
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiRenée DiResta: The Evolution of Propaganda & its 'Invisible Rulers': Influencers, Algorithms, & Crowds | #30Propaganda and the game of influence have evolved with the rise of social media. Who's winning that game—and who is losing?Welcome to the Urgent Futures podcast, the show that finds {signals} in the noise. Each week, I sit down with leading thinkers whose research, concepts, and questions clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos.My guest this week is Renée DiResta.Support the show by checking out: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital safety), Mis...
2024-10-231h 39
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiPhilip V. McHarris: A World Beyond Police—Utopia? | #29Imagine a world without police. Would we be safe?Welcome to the Urgent Futures podcast, the show that finds {signals} in the noise. Each week, I sit down with leading thinkers whose research, concepts, and questions clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos.My guest this week is Professor Philip V. McHarris.Support the show by checking out: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital safety), Mission Farms CBD (healthy, effective CBD for relief, sleep, and wellbeing—25% off wi...
2024-10-161h 12
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiTaryn Southern: The Peril & Promise of Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI), Generative AI, and Spatial Computing | #28How close are brain-computer interfaces? And how big of a deal is AI, really?Welcome to the Urgent Futures podcast, the show that finds {signals} in the noise. Each week, I sit down with leading thinkers whose research, concepts, and questions clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos.My guest this week is Taryn Southern.Support the show by checking out: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital safety), Mission Farms CBD (healthy, effective CBD for relief, sleep...
2024-10-091h 58
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiNora Bateson: Warm Data, 'Combining,' and "Who Can You Be When You Are With Me?" | Urgent Futures #27What if our interpersonal relationships and the polycrisis have a lot more to do with each other than we might initially think?Welcome to the Urgent Futures podcast, the show that finds {signals} in the noise. Each week, I sit down with leading thinkers whose research, concepts, and questions clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos.My guest this week is Nora Bateson.Pick up your copy of Nora's latest book, Combining, here.Support the show by checking out: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43...
2024-10-021h 43
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiAl Hassan Elwan: Edgelording a New Avant-garde (POSTPOSTPOST™ Admin Reveal!) | #26Welcome to the Urgent Futures podcast, the show that finds signals in the noise. Each week, I sit down with leading thinkers whose research, concepts, and questions clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos.My guest this week is Al Hassan Elwan.Support the show by checking out: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital safety), Mission Farms CBD (healthy, effective CBD for relief, sleep, and wellbeing—25% off with email), NordVPN (the simplest way to protect yourself online, 72% off 2-year pl...
2024-09-252h 39
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiGerardo Ceballos & Paul R. Ehrlich: 'Before They Vanish'—All The Life We Can Still Save from the Sixth Extinction | #25Welcome to the Urgent Futures podcast, the show that finds signals in the noise. Each week, I sit down with leading thinkers whose research, concepts, and questions clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos.My guests this week are Gerardo Ceballos & Paul R. EhrlichGerardo Ceballos, one of the world’s leading ecologists, is a professor at the Institute of Ecology at National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). He has established more than twenty protected areas in Mexico and is the author or coauthor of more than 55 books. Ehrlich and Ceballos are coauthors of Th...
2024-09-171h 38
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiNina Jankowicz: Why Disinformation Is Still a Critical Issue for Democracy | Urgent Futures #24Welcome to the Urgent Futures podcast, the show that finds signal in the noise. Each week, I sit down with leading thinkers whose research, concepts, and questions clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos.Support the show by checking out: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital safety), Mission Farms CBD (healthy, effective CBD for relief, sleep, and wellbeing—25% off with email), NordVPN (the simplest way to protect yourself online, 72% off 2-year plans).My guest this week is Nina Jankowicz....
2024-09-111h 28
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiMichael Mezzatesta: Why Isn't the Economy Working? An Economist's Case for Post-Growth | #23Welcome to the Urgent Futures podcast, the show that finds signal in the noise. Each week, I sit down with leading thinkers whose research, concepts, and questions clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos.Support the show by checking out: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital safety), Mission Farms CBD (healthy, effective CBD for relief, sleep, and wellbeing—25% off with email), NordVPN (the simplest way to protect yourself online, 72% off 2-year plans).My guest this week is Michael Mezzatesta....
2024-09-032h 06
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiNoelle Perdue: What Everyone Gets Wrong About Pornography—According to a Porn Historian | Urgent Futures #22Welcome to the Urgent Futures podcast, the show that finds signal in the noise. Each week, I sit down with leading thinkers whose research, concepts, and questions clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos.Support the show by checking out: ZBiotics (Decrease impact of hangovers. Code: JESSEDAMIANI for 10% off), MUD\WTR (43% off starter kits), 1Password (simplify your life and increase digital safety), Mission Farms CBD (healthy, effective CBD for relief, sleep, and wellbeing—25% off with email), NordVPN (the simplest way to protect yourself online, 72% off 2-year plans).My guest this week is porn historian No...
2024-08-281h 49
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiWilliam E. Rees: The Disconnect Between Ecology & The Economy is Driving us Toward Collapse—What Should we do About it? | Urgent Futures #21My guest this week is William E. Rees.There’s this quote attributed to Charles Kettering that goes “A problem well-stated is a problem half-solved.” When surveying the immensity of the interdependent crises we face: climate change, soil desertification, biodiversity loss, pollution, microplastics, war, and so on, simply stating the problem can feel impossible. But, as I’ve learned from Bill, at the highest level, it’s extremely straightforward (though I don’t mean to confuse that with it being easy to solve!). It’s something called ecological overshoot.Overshoot occurs when the demands on an ecosystem e...
2024-08-212h 11
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiGünseli Yalcinkaya: Internet Folklorist Explains Reality Shifting, Dolls, Incels/Femcels, Cryptids, Memes, & AI | Urgent Futures #20My guest this week is Günseli Yalcinkaya. An expert in youth and internet culture, London-based writer, researcher and critic Günseli Yalcinkaya is the features editor at Dazed Magazine and the host of Logged On, a podcast series that puts online trends under the microscope. She's written extensively about AI, VR and psychedelia, and as an artist, studies the relationship between ecology, magic and machine learning.What’s an AI cryptid? What is reality shifting? How are dolls and the idea of cuteness evolving online, and what does this mean for the future of intimacy? What’s the...
2024-08-141h 22
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiMeredith Broussard: How 'Technochauvinism' Leads to Bad AI | Urgent Futures #19My guest this week is data journalist & professor Meredith Broussard.The public discourse around AI is noisy. Depending on where you turn, it’s either about to save the world or destroy the world, grant you magical powers or take your job and leave you penniless. But AI is a very real thing happening in and to society. Rarely is the hype-doom binary helpful for understanding how it is and will be woven into our lives from a practical perspective—as well as the social, cultural, political, and economic issues it surfaces or amplifies.So I wa...
2024-08-071h 04
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiMargaret Wertheim: How do Coral Reefs Teach us About Curved Space? How are the Multiverse and AI Connected? | Urgent Futures #18My guest this week is artist & science communicator Margaret Wertheim.(If you're loving Reality Studies, please leave us ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ or a review right now—it does wonders helping us reach new listeners!)Margaret Wertheim is a science writer and artist whose work focuses on relations between science and the wider cultural landscape. With degrees in math and physics, she is animated by a view that science is a field of conceptual enchantment and a socially embedded activity. Wertheim is the author of seven books, including Pythagoras’s Trousers, a History of Physics and Religion; The Pearly Gates of Cyber...
2024-07-312h 45
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiLandon Ross: Examining Consciousness, Evolution, AI, and Physics Through Art, Storytelling, and Philosophy | Urgent Futures #17My guest this week is Landon Ross.Landon Ross is a Los Angeles artist working primarily in painting, sculpture, video, and installation. Ross’s work explores the ontology of mathematics, consciousness, the self, and seeks to explore origin-stories of a distinct epistemological stance: those derived from nature. The artist’s once-central role in channeling the human inclination for the transcendent or the sublime is one that Ross seeks to continue from within the framework of naturalism.As you can tell from his bio, Landon isn’t your “typical” artist! I met him through my work as a curato...
2024-07-241h 59
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiAutumn Breon: Reimagining Broken Systems through Art, Activism, Radical Self-Care, & Speculative Worlding | Urgent Futures #16My guest this week is Autumn Breon.Autumn Breon is a multidisciplinary artist who investigates the visual vocabulary of liberation through a queer Black feminist lens. Using performance, sculpture, and public installation, Breon invites audiences to examine intersectional identities and Diasporic memory. Breon imagines her work as immersive invitations for the public to join in the reimagining and creation of systems that make current oppressive systems obsolete. Breon has created commissions for Target, Art Production Fund, Frieze Art Fair, and the ACLU of Southern California. Breon’s performance history includes Hauser & Wirth, the Walt Disney Concert Hall, an...
2024-07-171h 24
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiNita Farahany: Neurotech, the Latest Skirmishes in the 'Battle for Your Brain,' and Your Right to Cognitive Liberty | Urgent Futures #15My guest this week is Nita Farahany.Nita Farahany is a pioneering changemaker and leading authority at the intersection of law, ethics, and technology. As the Robinson O. Everett Distinguished Professor of Law & Philosophy at Duke Law School, and Founding Director of Duke Science & Society, she drives transformative discussions on technology's ethical implications. Her seminal book, The Battle for Your Brain: Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology (2023), charts a pathway to cognitive freedom in an increasingly interconnected world. A highly sought after speaker, her insights resonate from TED stages to the World...
2024-07-101h 08
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiLaura Forlano & Danya Glabau: Living Well with Machines, Real-World Cyborg Futures, and Critical Cyborg Literacy | Urgent Futures #14Welcome to the Urgent Futures podcast, the show that finds signal in the noise. Each week, I sit down with leading thinkers whose research, concepts, and questions clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos.Cyborg. When you hear the word, you probably think of something like Blade Runner, Westworld, or the Terminator. Shiny tech with a dash of dystopia. But what if I told you there’s a totally different way of thinking about and understanding cyborgs? This other way of understanding cyborgs, cyborg theory, also seeks to understand the relationship between humans and machines—but it’s...
2024-07-031h 42
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiEryk Salvaggio & Caroline Sinders: Glitching AI, Algorithmic Resistance, Labor Activism, Art as Research, & Feminist Technology | Urgent Futures #13My guests today are Eryk Salvaggio & Caroline Sinders.What role do artists actually play in society? What about in the development of AI? It’s easy to speak in vague, grandiose terms about the power of art, but when do the actual actions, techniques, and interventions of artists amount to real-world impact? I’m not saying that art needs to lead to impact, but it’s important that we’re clear about the moments it does so that we can learn from the ways it did and to what extent it was successful. More broadly, it helps us see t...
2024-06-262h 13
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiDanielle Stevenson: Using Mushrooms to Heal Polluted Places | Urgent Futures Ep. 12Pollution is a massive problem—yet it rarely gets the kind of play other climate issues receive. But did you know that some scientists and mycologists are using mycelium to detoxify contaminated sites? It's pretty incredible stuff—and my guest this week, Danielle Stevenson, is a leading expert in this field of 'mycoremediation.'Welcome to the Urgent Futures podcast, the show that finds signal in the noise. Each week, I sit down with leading thinkers whose research, concepts, and questions clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos.My guest this week is Danielle Stev...
2024-06-201h 40
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiEmily Segal: Trend Forecasting, 'Normcore' Ten Years Later, & Not Being Scared of AI (Yet) | Urgent Futures Ep. 11Welcome to the Urgent Futures podcast, the show that finds signal in the noise. Each week, I sit down with leading thinkers whose research, concepts, and questions clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos.The best way to support the show, you ask? Pop over to YouTube and hit that Subscribe button. You hear it all the time for a reason—nothing will help the channel grow more than that simple click.My guest this week is Emily Segal.Emily Segal is a writer, strategist, and trend forecaster based in Los Angeles. Sh...
2024-06-131h 49
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiBrittan Heller: Can Human Rights Law Adapt to the Era of AI & Spatial Computing? | Urgent Futures Ep. 10My guest this week is Brittan Heller.Brittan Heller works at the intersection of technology, human rights and the law. She is currently a lecturer at Stanford University and a visiting scholar at Stanford’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab, examining XR's connection to society, human rights, privacy, and security. Heller is on the steering committee for the World Economic Forum's Metaverse Governance initiative and studied content moderation in XR as an inaugural AI and Tech Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School's Carr Center for Human Rights. She is a visiting fellow at the Yale Information Society Project, a Se...
2024-06-061h 24
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiLegacy Russell: The Black Meme in Visual & Viral Culture | Urgent Futures Ep. 9Welcome to the Urgent Futures podcast, the show that finds signal in the noise. Each week, I sit down with leading thinkers whose research, concepts, and questions clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos.The best way to support the show, you ask? Pop over to YouTube and hit that Subscribe button. You hear it all the time for a reason—nothing will help the channel grow more than that simple click.Legacy Russell is a curator and writer. Born and raised in New York City, she is the Executive Director & Chief Curator of Th...
2024-05-301h 00
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiLisa Messeri: Unreal Realities in Los Angeles and VR | Urgent Futures Ep. 8Welcome to the Urgent Futures podcast, the show that finds signal in the noise. Each week, I sit down with leading thinkers whose research, concepts, and questions clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos.The best way to support the show, you ask? Pop over to YouTube and hit that Subscribe button. You hear it all the time for a reason—nothing will help the channel grow more than that simple click.Lisa Messeri is an associate professor in sociocultural anthropology at Yale University. Her research focuses on the norms, aspirations, and consequences of wo...
2024-05-222h 01
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiDennis Yi Tenen: The Hidden History of Modern AI & Machine Learning | Urgent Futures Ep. 7Welcome to the Urgent Futures podcast, the show that finds signal in the noise. Each week, I sit down with leading thinkers whose research, concepts, and questions clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos.The best way to support the show, you ask? Pop over to YouTube and hit that Subscribe button. You hear it all the time for a reason—nothing will help the channel grow more than that simple click.🎧 For audio-only, subscribe to Apple Podcasts & Spotify so you never miss an episode!My guest today is Dennis Yi Tenen....
2024-05-071h 38
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiIdris Brewster: Why AR MattersWelcome to the Urgent Futures podcast, the show that finds signal in the noise. Each week, I sit down with leading thinkers whose research, concepts, and questions clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos.The best way to support the show, you ask? Pop over to YouTube and hit that Subscribe button. You hear it all the time for a reason—nothing will help the channel grow more than that simple click.🎧 For audio-only, subscribe to Apple Podcasts & Spotify so you never miss an episode!My guest today is Idris Brewster.Idr...
2024-04-301h 45
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiEric Czuleger: What's...a Country?Welcome to the Urgent Futures podcast, the show that finds signal in the noise. Each week, I sit down with leading thinkers whose research, concepts, and questions clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos.Want to see the video version of the show? Pop over to YouTube and hit that Subscribe button so you never miss an episode.My guest today is Eric Czuleger. His fascination with travel, history, and politics began as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Albania. After service, he completed his first circle of the globe. Returning to the U.S...
2024-04-181h 56
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiCherie Hu: What's Next for the Music Industry? AI, Blockchain, and MoreWelcome to the Urgent Futures podcast, the show that finds signal in the noise. Each week, I sit down with leading thinkers whose research, concepts, and questions clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos.The best way to support the show, you ask? Pop over to YouTube and hit that Subscribe button. You hear it all the time for a reason—nothing will help the channel grow more than that simple click.My guest today is Cherie Hu.Cherie is an award-winning researcher, founder, and educator forging new paths in music, technology, an...
2024-03-261h 40
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiLia Halloran & Kip Thorne: A Trip Through the Warped Side of Our UniverseWelcome to the Reality Studies podcast! This podcast tries to clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos. Each episode, I sit down with leading thinkers for big idea dialogues about the research, concepts, and questions that animate their approaches to reality.My guests today are Lia Halloran and Kip Thorne.Lia Halloran is an award-winning artist who has exhibited widely in galleries and museums. She’s also Chair of the department of Art and Associate Professor at Chapman University. She lives with her wife and two children in Los Angeles, CA.Kip Th...
2023-10-261h 23
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiAsad J. Malik: Fighting for the Future of Augmented RealityWelcome to the Reality Studies podcast! This podcast tries to clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos. Each episode, I sit down with leading thinkers for big idea dialogues about the research, concepts, and questions that animate their approaches to reality.Subscribe: 🎥 YouTube | 🎧 Apple Podcasts & SpotifyToday I am chatting with Asad J. Malk, CEO of Jadu AR. Asad is an augmented reality trailblazer whose critically-acclaimed narrative storytelling projects Terminal 3 and A Jester’s Tale premiered at Tribeca and Sundance Film Festivals, positioning Asad as a visionary in the space before completing his undergraduate degree...
2023-10-191h 35
Urgent Futures with Jesse DamianiTaylor Lorenz: A Brief History of Being 'Extremely Online'Welcome to the Reality Studies podcast! This podcast tries to clarify the chaos, from culture to the cosmos. Each episode, I sit down with leading thinkers for big idea dialogues about the research, concepts, and questions that animate their approaches to reality.In this episode, I chat with Taylor Lorenz, Technology Columnist for The Washington Post and author of the forthcoming book, Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet.Taylor's work hits one of the main goals I have in doing a podcast in the first place. I started...
2023-09-2858 min
TezTalks Radio - Tezos Ecosystem Podcast66: Curating with Jesse DamianiEnjoyed our podcast? Shoot us a text and let us know—because great conversations never end at the last word!In this week's episode, we sit down with American writer, producer, and entrepreneur, Jesse Damiani to discuss the future of NFTs
2023-09-2659 min
Fantasy Hockey LifeEP 202 | Dallas Stars with Matthew DeFranksThe Dallas Stars stayed on the edge of the playoff mix but feature some great forwards developing and a breakout goalie. Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News breaks it down. (7:30) Matt talks Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, Joe Pavelski, Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, Jacob Peterson, Denis Gurianov, Ty Delleandrea, Riley Damiani, Miro Heiskanen, John Klingberg, Esa Lindell, Ryan Suter, Jani Hakanpaa, Thomas Harley, Jake Oettinger, and Scott Wedgewood. Dan Tiffany of Dobbert Prospects brings "Tiff's Takes" on the goalies (57:00) In the Dynasty Dig (approx 1:05:30) Victor breaks down Mavrik Bourque, Wyatt Johnston, and Logan Stankoven with the help of reports from...
2022-07-041h 52
Artist Decoded by YoshinoA Crash Course In NFTs + Simulation Theory with Jesse Damiani | AD 196 www.patreon.com/artistdecoded Jesse Damiani is a writer, curator, and cultural producer living in Los Angeles, CA. He covers art, media, and technology on Forbes, and serves as . Other writing appears in Billboard, Entrepreneur, Quartz, The Verge, and WIRED. He has consulted with Google, Oculus, and the Sundance Institute, and served as a mentor in the YouTube VR Creator Lab. He is also Founder and Series Editor of Best American Experimental Writing. He was the Curator/Producer for the XR art exhibition, Spatial Reality, at sp[a]ce gallery; Co-Curator of Virtual Futures with LACMA...
2021-03-281h 04
Midcoast MorningMid Coast Morning for Saturday March 6th 2021The inaugural launch of Mid Coast Morning, CHLY 101.7 FM’s new weekly current affairs show airing every Saturday morning at 9 A.M. In our first episode host Mick Sweetman speaks with Shannon McDonald, Acting Chief Medical Officer for the First Nations Health Authority, on why COVID-19 is disproportionately impacting First Nations. He also spoke with Nanaimo City Councillor Don Bonner on the upcoming Front Street bike lane project, as well as Hub City Cycle’s Nico Damiani on what this and other bike lanes will mean for cyclists in Nanaimo.Also in this epis...
2021-03-0653 min
Singularity WatchSingularity Watch S01 E03 | An Immersive Storyteller: Jesse DamianiOur guest today is Jesse Damiani, journalist, writer, VR Storyteller, Forbes Contributor on emerging technologies.
When we talk about "new" or "emerging" technologies, it can be rather hard to tell the difference between what is in fact "pure hype" and what's here to stay. What are the biggest "victims" of the hype cycle?
Jesse is one of the few journalists who can talk about the emerging worlds avoiding the "gadgets" approach, and focusing instead on building trust and awareness. But he also says that poetry and emerging tech have more in common than many realize. Do you...
2020-10-2456 min
The No Proscenium PodcastEpisode 175 - Jesse Damiani talks Spatial RealityJesse Damiani, longtime friend of the show, drops by to talk about his continuing adventures in the world of XR. (That's virtual, augmented, and mixed reality for those playing the home game.) Recently he curated the art show Spatial Reality, which brought together multiple artists from across the reality spectrum for what was one of the biggest -- if not the biggest -- gatherings of XR art to date. We sit down with Jesse, drink my favorite beer, talk about that show and wax philosophical as we are won't to do. Come, join us. ...
2018-11-301h 24The No Proscenium PodcastEpisode 155: International RelationsLast week your host, Noah Nelson, was in Qingdao, China for the Sandbox Immersive Festival. This week he's back, solo, to talk about some of what he observed there and about the emerging thinking around XR -- the term being given to all of immersive technology -- and how that relates to live immersive. This being Noah talking into a microphone, you know that we get into a few tangents, including thoughts about what it means to become a bit jaded as a reviewer, and what incoming designers need to be thinking about when they approach immersive...
2018-07-0741 minThe No Proscenium PodcastEpisode 087: Into The Virtual with Jesse DamianiLive from the ThinkTank Studio... well, virtually live anyway: we talk with VR Scout editor-at-large and immersonaut extraordinaire Jesse Damiani about his exploration of Sundance's New Frontier, his development of scripting tools for digital and live immersive experiences, and a whole lot more. PLUS: so many notes you will run out of sticks to shake at them. Including details on our first unofficial Fringe Town Hall: putting two great tastes--the Hollywood Fringe and immersive--together in a formal way at last. Better than chocolate and peanut butter! (That's a damn lie and I know it. Nothing is better t...
2017-02-241h 32
Nerdfunk von Radio Stadtfilter1Wird 2016 das Jahr der virtuellen Realität, haben wir uns vor gut einem Jahr gefragt [http://podcast.stadtfilter.ch/DigitalPodcast/Digital20150901]. Die Antwort ist ein ziemlich deutliches Nein: Wir ziehen uns des Morgens keine Datenhandschuhe Über und laufen auch nicht mit Cyberhelmen durch die computergenerierte Welt.
Todsagen wollen wir den Trend trotzdem nicht. Denn auch wenn er unseren Alltag nicht umgekrempelt hat, so haben wir doch die eine oder andere Einsatzmöglichkeit entdeckt. Und darüber sprechen wir:
Über Gadgets und Apps, mit denen man mit VR-Szenarien spielt. Über 360°-Videos und Games, in denen man mit Haut und Haar versinkt. Über die...
2016-10-1930 minNerdfunk (m4a)1Wird 2016 das Jahr der virtuellen Realität, haben wir uns vor gut einem Jahr gefragt [http://podcast.stadtfilter.ch/DigitalPodcast/Digital20150901]. Die Antwort ist ein ziemlich deutliches Nein: Wir ziehen uns des Morgens keine Datenhandschuhe Über und laufen auch nicht mit Cyberhelmen durch die computergenerierte Welt.
Todsagen wollen wir den Trend trotzdem nicht. Denn auch wenn er unseren Alltag nicht umgekrempelt hat, so haben wir doch die eine oder andere Einsatzmöglichkeit entdeckt. Und darüber sprechen wir:
Über Gadgets und Apps, mit denen man mit VR-Szenarien spielt. Über 360°-Videos und Games, in denen man mit Haut und Haar versinkt. Über die...
2016-10-1930 minNerdfunk (MP3)1Wird 2016 das Jahr der virtuellen Realität, haben wir uns vor gut einem Jahr gefragt [http://podcast.stadtfilter.ch/DigitalPodcast/Digital20150901]. Die Antwort ist ein ziemlich deutliches Nein: Wir ziehen uns des Morgens keine Datenhandschuhe Über und laufen auch nicht mit Cyberhelmen durch die computergenerierte Welt.
Todsagen wollen wir den Trend trotzdem nicht. Denn auch wenn er unseren Alltag nicht umgekrempelt hat, so haben wir doch die eine oder andere Einsatzmöglichkeit entdeckt. Und darüber sprechen wir:
Über Gadgets und Apps, mit denen man mit VR-Szenarien spielt. Über 360°-Videos und Games, in denen man mit Haut und Haar versinkt. Über die...
2016-10-1930 min
Super Hungry the PodcastEpisode 14 (S2 E1) with Jesse DamianiIn the Season 2 premier, writer, poet, and old college friend Jesse Damiani stops by and we talk about the cost of living in Los Angeles (and we don’t mean money), what it’s like to get a Master’s Degree in Poetry, and, among other things, "Why Walter White Is the Most Important Character in the History of Television."
2016-07-131h 14